"Good. I’ll be in a separate vehicle, trailing you. I have a contact who specializes in this kind of thing, private security, discreet but effective. He’ll set up surveillance, nothing obvious, just enough to catch Liam in the act."
I glance up at him. "And when he shows?"
Grayson’s expression hardens. "Then we make sure he knows this ends tonight."
23
GRAYSON
The plan is set. Now, all we have to do is wait. Margot is pacing the living room, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her jaw clenched. She doesn’t like waiting, and honestly, neither do I. But this has to be done right.
"You sure this will work?" she asks, glancing at me.
"If Liam takes the bait, we’ll know soon enough," I say, leaning against the counter, my phone in my hand. "Olivia has already started spreading the word that you’re heading back to your apartment. The security setup is in place. We just have to let him think he’s making the first move."
She exhales sharply, running a hand through her hair. "And what if he doesn’t take the bait?"
I step toward her, my voice firm. "Then we find another way. But he will. Guys like him can’t help themselves."
Before she can respond, my phone buzzes. A message from my contact:Movement near the apartment. Black SUV. No plates.
I show Margot the screen, and her breath catches. "That’s him."
I nod, already grabbing my jacket. "It’s time. Let’s go."
She hesitates for a fraction of a second before nodding. "Let’s end this."
As we head for the door, I glance at her one last time. This is it. The moment everything changes, and I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to her. We take separate cars, just as planned. Margot leaves first, climbing into the rideshare that will take her 'home' while I follow behind in an unmarked vehicle, keeping my distance. My contact has already confirmed that Liam’s SUV is parked a few blocks away, waiting. The drive is tense, Margot checking her phone occasionally, though she doesn’t text. She’s playing her role perfectly, looking like a woman going home alone, completely unaware of the danger watching her. I grip the steering wheel tighter as we near her apartment. The moment she steps out, Liam will think he has his chance.
"She’s arriving," my contact’s voice crackles through the earpiece. "SUV is circling the block. Two men inside."
Two? My pulse spikes, but I keep my voice steady. "Copy that. Stay in position."
Margot exits the car, moving like nothing is out of the ordinary. She reaches for her keys, playing her part, vulnerable, unsuspecting. Then, the SUV speeds up.
I curse under my breath. "Move now. We’re not waiting." I throw my car into gear, ready to cut them off before they can reach her. This endsnow. Tires screech against the pavement as I accelerate, cutting off the SUV before it can reach her. Margot jerks back in surprise, her eyes darting toward the vehicle as the doors start to open. Not on my watch. I slam the brakes, jump out, and move fast, positioning myself between her and them. "Get back inside, Margot. Now."
She hesitates, and I swear under my breath. "Margot…"
A man steps out of the SUV, tall, broad, and radiating arrogance. Liam. He smirks, hands casually tucked into hispockets. "Well, well. I was hoping for a private reunion, but I guess we have company."
My fists clench. "It’s over, Liam. You don’t get to haunt her anymore."
His eyes flick toward Margot, a slow, calculating glance that makes my blood boil. "That’s not up to you, King. Margot and I…"
"Are done," Margot cuts in, stepping up beside me. Her voice is steady, but I can feel the tension rolling off her. "You lost your chance a long time ago. Now leave before you regret it."
Liam’s smirk falters for a split second before he schools his expression. "You don’t mean that, sweetheart."
I take a step forward. "You call her that again, and I’ll make sure you regreta lotof things."
His jaw tightens, but before he can speak, another car pulls up, my contact. Two security professionals step out, and just like that, the tables turn. Liam’s bravado slips, and he glances at his guy still inside the SUV. "You planned this."
"Damn right, we did," I say, crossing my arms. "Now, you have two choices, walk away, or get escorted away. Either way, you’re done."
He glares at me, then at Margot. And for the first time, there’s something else in his expression, uncertainty.
Margot holds her chin high. "I’m not scared of you anymore, Liam. And that’s killing you, isn’t it?" For a second, I think he’s going to lash out. But then, he exhales sharply and nods to his driver. "Let’s go." The SUV peels off into the night, leaving only the echo of screeching tires.